Ict Trends

1. EVERYWHERE CONNECTIVITY FOR IoT & IoE

IoT Definitions: The term Internet of Things generally refers to scenarios where
network connectivity and computing capability extends to objects, sensors and
everyday items not normally considered computers, allowing these devices to
generate, exchange and consume data with minimal human intervention. There is,
however, no single, universal definition.
Enabling Technologies: The concept of combining computers, sensors, and
networks to monitor and control devices has existed for decades. The recent
confluence of several technology market trends, however, is bringing the Internet of
Things closer to widespread reality. These include Ubiquitous
Connectivity, Widespread Adoption of IP-based Networking, Computing
Economics, Miniaturization, Advances in Data Analytics, and the Rise of Cloud
Computing.

Over the last year we have seen heightened interest in the Internet of Things (IoT)
and of Everything (IoE) including several acquisitions by major players such as
Googles purchase of Nest Labs for $3.2 billion. Bob Metcalfe, inventor of the
Ethernet, said that the power of a network increases proportionally by the square of
the number of users (Metcalfe's Law) which puts IoT forecasted to be 50 billion
connections by 2020- in a powerful and strategic position. The challenge that IoT
faces is that everything sits in isolation thus an IoT standard is a must, and many
see this happening in 2015.

2. COGNITIVE NETWORKS, BIG DATA

This is a technology which allows networks to produce better service to users. It is
aware of networks state and usage patterns that tries to predict and optimize data
transfer based on past data, quality of service needs of users and
current network state.
Communication systems handles a vast amount of information: A global IP
backbone generates over 20 billion records per day, amounting to over 1 TB per
day. Processing and analyzing this big data and presenting insights in a timely
fashion are becoming a reality with advanced analytics to understand the
environment, to interpret events, and to act on them. This is a positive development
that helps unleash the intelligence in communication systems where networks are
no longer labeled dumb pipes but as smart cognitive networks .

3. CYBERSECURITY
It is also known as IT security, is the protection of information systems from theft or
damage to the hardware, the software, and to the information on them, as well as
from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
Everything connected to the Internet can be hacked. On daily basis we heard of
retailers (Target, Home Depot, Neiman Marcus), financial institutions (Chase),
technology companies (Snapchat, eBay, Sony) being hacked. No one is cyber-safe,
and the road to the future leads through new cyber security technologies beyond
current perimeter firewall-like defenses. The coming year will bring significant
changes in the industry as it responds to recent increases and sophistication of
cyberattacks. We will see better solutions to protect devices and endpoints,
advances in the default use of encryption, in authentication schemes, and in BYOD
solutions.

4. GREEN COMMUNICATIONS
It is being reported that communications technologies are responsible for about 24% of all of carbon footprint generated by human activity. This highlights the need
to focus on managing these numbers, and Green communications is doing just that.
The trend is tackling first mobile networks because of their high energy use. Base
stations and switching centers could count for between 60% and 85% of the energy
used by an entire communication system. Environmentally friendly batteries,
renewable energy sources, and intelligent management of the power systems are
some of the proposed solutions. Besides this mobile network focus, there is a 2015
and beyond trend to manage total energy usage, compute-to-consumption ratios
and performance KPIs for best in class green operations.

5. SMARTER SMARTPHONES, CONNECTED SENSORS

The indisputable rock-start of devices is the smartphone, and its future cant be
brighter. In 2014 we saw that only a few days after the iPhone 6 was released, there
are already articles being written about the next-generation iPhone 7. Size, shape,
and capabilities of these ubiquitous communication devices continue evolving, and
so are prices which, driven by cost and performance improvements in digital
technologies, are falling rapidly. The average selling price of a smartphone went
down in 2014, and we expect this to continue in 2015 with low-cost OEMs such as
Xiaomi and Lenovo leading the trend.
Beyond smartphones, tablets, connected sensors and body-worn wearables will also
make headlines. Connected sensors will find their way into vehicles (smartcards),
into urban areas (smartcies) and into our infrastructure (smartgrid).

6. NETWORK NEUTRALITY, INTERNET GOVERNANCE

The Internet has been operating since its inception under open principles, i.e. an
open standards-based network that treats all traffic in roughly the same way, i.e. no
connection blocking, bandwidth transparency, universal connectivity, and best
effort service. Can these principles be sustained in a new word of data-hungry

applications and services? Is regulation needed to prevent traffic throttling, unfair

raise of fees, and construction of preferential high-speed Internet lanes? In 2014,
Network Neutrality (NetNeutrality) discussions covered these questions in the
context of ISPs transit and peering, and CDNs. Governments and institutions around
the world will continue working on it during 2015. They will also be working on the
Internet governance transition plan as current ICANN framework is set to expire in
October.

7. MOLECULAR COMMUNICATIONS
Molecular communication is an emerging paradigm where bio-nanomachines (e.g.,
artificial cells, genetically engineered cells) communicate to perform coordinated
actions. Unlike traditional communication systems which utilize electromagnetic
waves, molecular communications utilize biological molecules both as carriers and
as information. The advantages provided by this molecular approach to
communications are size, biocompatibility, and biostability. Examples of applications
are drug delivery system (DDS), bio-hybrid implants, and lab-on-a-chip (LoC)
systems. This trend is not ready for mass market but with an approach so radically
different to Todays communications, following its developments is a must.